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I first met Granny D -- just a few quick times -- in 1999 and 2000. I saw her again, and more often, in 2004 when she ran for United States Senate. For those who might forget, she was our Democratic Party nominee against Judd Gregg. Yes, he won, but she took the challenge to him. It was generally a tough year for Democrats.
Back then, I was fascinated by this somewhat short and unassuming woman who seemed to have a lot of get-up-and-go. I enjoyed campaigning for and voting for this visionary, very positive human being.
But only in the past two years or so have I seen her quite up close (REALLY close when she gives you the patented "Granny D Hug"), and come to know, better understand, and even get to love this 98 year old New Hampshire treasure who is made of gold.
I could write so much about her, but watching her for a couple of hours this past Thursday as she experienced one of her greatest victories -- the New Hampshire State Senate approving a bill that she and her cause has inspired -- kind of sums up all about her.
That legislation, House Bill 794, called "The Granny D Bill," creates a seven-member Commission to craft and recommend a public financing program for New Hampshire. Whether that can be done is not the question -- some dozen other states have similar programs for at least some of their candidates, and Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut have rather complete systems. And whether it WILL be done here is not the question -- it will be someday, because it is at least a partial answer to improving democracy and making it more accessible by more of our citizens. It will happen. It has to.
And all that is Granny D's cause. She says the same thing -- that this will happen -- that we must do this not for ourselves, but for our future, and our children. To hear her say that makes you believe that it will be done. Because it has to.
But what was remarkable this past Thursday was to see this energetic woman walk the halls of the New Hampshire State House, a building only a little more than twice her own age, with just a cane while leading her troop of supporters at a fast pace. More on that walk in a moment.
After being introduced to the Senate by Keene Senator Molly Kelly and Senate President Sylvia Larsen, she sat for close to an hour in the historic chamber for her bill to come up and be voted on. It passed unanimously after two speakers, one a Democrat (Senator Jackie Cilley of Barrington) and one a Republican (Senator Peter Bragdon of Milford) recommended passage. Then Granny D stood to the applause and thanks of a gallery full of her longtime supporters who came from throughout the state to cheer her on.
Then she stepped -- "ran" might be a better description -- out of the Senate into her crowd of backers while she answered questions from reporters. In the midst of all this commotion Governor John Lynch walked up the stairs going toward his office. He stopped for a moment to say hello to Granny D. It gave her a chance to corner him on her cause...(more below fold)
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